I had heard a few months ago about this new documentary about baseball knuckleball pitchers called “Knuckleball” and was looking forward to seeing it. Last night I saw that it was on “On Demand” so  I got to see it.

The Knuckleball is a rare pitch thrown by only a handful of pitchers. Even in the history of baseball there have only been a total of maybe 50-60 pitchers who have thrown the pitch. Usually there is one or two around at any given time. It is a pitch that is totally unpredictable. The pitch has no spin on it. The pitch is hard for catchers to catch, hitters to hit and umpires to call, if the knuckleball is working. A knuckleball that doesn’t work is like a battling practice pitch.

This film focuses on the two knuckleball pitchers who were pitching in 2011- Tim Wakefield a veteran in his final season with the Red Sox and Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey. There are also appearances from knuckleballers from the past- Phil Niekro [the most famous knuckleballer who grew up right down the road from the Postcard Compound} and Charlie Hough.  It is too bad the film wasn’t made a year later. R.A. Dickey is having one of the best seasons any knuckleballer has ever had this season with the Mets. The film covers their lives and career. The knuckleball is really one of those ‘last ditch’ effort pitches. Tim Wakefield started out as a first baseman in the Pirate organization. He wasn’t going anywhere as a hitter. One day he was throwing a knuckleball on the side to a teammate and his minor league manager saw it, was impressed and Tim was switched to becoming a pitcher. Dickey was a journeyman pitcher who was on his way out of the league when he started to throw the pitch 7 years ago. It gave him a new career.

Knuckleball pitchers tend to have long careers, pitch into their 40’s. I remember Hoyt Wilhelm one of the great relief pitchers pitched until he was nearly 50. His career ended not because of his arm but because his legs went. Knuckleball pitchers eat up a lot of innings. Phil Niekro is in the Hall of Fame. One season he won 21 and lost 20. Managers have to be patient with the knuckleball pitcher. They will have their rough outings but when a knuckleballer is in the grove like R.A. Dickey has been this season they can also be unhittable.

I was happy to see a couple appearances in the movie by Jim Bouton the author of “Ball Four” he became a knuckleball pitcher late in his career after he blew out his arm. I enjoyed the movie. It did a good job in describing the ups and downs of the careers of Wakefield and Dickey. I have it rented for two days I will probably watch it again today. Hopefully the movie will inspire someone pitchers out there to take the pitch up and keep it alive. R.A. Dickey is the only knuckleball pitcher left since Wakefield retired. Dickey is 37 and in his prime. I figure he will be around another 5-7 years, I hope so anyway. After seeing this I am now interested in reading the book R.A. Dickey put out this year about his life.

I’d give “Knuckleball” a thumbs up…and on a scale of 0-4 stars. A solid 3 stars.